Car-coupling.



No. 859,275. PATENTED JULY 9. 1907 WINTER.

COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED OUT-18. 1906.

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anvanl'oz H @OQQQ I W I 0 i W PATENTED JULY 9, 1907.

H. B.- WINTER. GAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION rmm 001213. 1906.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY B. WINTER, OF AL"OONA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-THIRD TO HARRY B. KANTNER, OE ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-THIRD TO 'DAVID W. DIXON, OF SPRUCE GREEK, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed October 18, 1906. Serial No- 339,509.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. WINTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

In operating railways, it frequently happens that the draw-heads become detached either by breaking loose from their fastenings or by fractiu'e of the draw-head itself, and in the style of coupling most generally used and comprising twin jaws and cooperating pivoted knuckles the draw-head when detached falls upon the roadway and causes disastrous results, both to stock, limb and life.

The purpose of the present invention is to combine with couplings of the type aforesaid novel means for preventing the detached coupling from falling through and dropping upon the roadway, said means being of novel and peculiar formation.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without departing from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l. is a perspective view of a car coupling embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side View of the coupling showing the manner of supporting the drawhead when detached from one of the cars. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of an arm for supporting the detached draw-head. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective .vicw of the bar for connecting the draw-head supporting arm to the draw-head.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The coupling illustrated is of the type most generally used and comprising twin coupling members, the jaws of which are adapted to have a vertical play, whereby in the event of one or the other of the draw-heads be coming broken or detached it will drop tlnough vertically and fall upon the roadway. The present invention is adapted for couplings of this variety and provides means for supporting the loosened draw-head and preventing its dropping upon the roadway. The coupling has each member comprising a draw-bar l and draw-head 2, the latter embodying the usual fixed jaw 3 and pivoted knuckle 4. These parts may be of any approved construction according to the design of the coupling. An arm 5 projects from each draw-head and is adapted to extend past the cooperating draw-head so as to engage therewith and support either one of the draw-heads in the event of a coupling member becoming broken or detached. In the preferable construction, the arm 5 is arranged upon the top of each drawhead and upon the side provided with the knuckle, the free end overhanging the side of the cooperating coupling member corresponding with the fixed jaw 3. This arrangement of the draw-head supporting arm enables advantage being taken of the bolt or fastening 6 as securing means, said bolt or fastening 6 being the same employed for connecting the knuckle to its draw head. The arm 5 has its projecting portion tapered and its rear end flattened and widened and formed with extensions 7 to engage under the ends of a bar 8 secured to the draw-head, the end portions of said bar being cut away to receive the extensions 7. The portion of the arm apertured to receive the bolt or fastening 6 is made thick and has a depression 9 in its top side to receive the head of the bolt or fastening 6. "he bar 8 is permanently connected to the draw-head in any substantial way and when the bolt or fastening 6 is removed, the arm 5 may be either placed in position or removed by simply slipping the extensions 7 under the projecting portions of the bar 8, as will be readily understood. The sole purpose of the arms 5 is to prevent one or the other of the draw-heads from falling vertically'through the companion draw-head in the event of its becoming broken or disconnected. The knuckle is secured in the usual way by means of the pin 10 and for operating said pin a lever 11 is provided and pivoted between its ends to a convenient portion of the car in the usual way. A link 12 is pivoted at its inner end to the car and has an open ended slot 13 formed therein to receive the upper end of the pin 10 and a reduced portion 14 of the lever 11.

As indicated in Fig. 2 when one or the other of the draw-heads becomes disconnected from its bar, the supporting arm 5 will engage with the companion drawhead and prevent the detached draw-head from dropping upon the roadway and causing accident.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In acar coupling of the type specified, the combination of the drawhead, a bar secured Lhereto and having terminal projecting portions, a supporting arm adapted to have its rear end abut against said bar-and formed with extensions to interlock therewith, and a single fastening connecting the arm to the drawhead.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY B. \VINTER. [13. 5.]

Witnesses I-Lunzr B. KAN'INER, Gnu. C. Kn'rcHNnn, Jr. 

